Chicken restaurant to remain open without smokehouse

Agreement reached between city, owner

SAN ANTONIO – Utilities at a popular East Side chicken eatery remain on after its owner and the city of San Antonio came to an agreement.

Pollos Asados los Norteños was closed for business Friday, but employees were cleaning and doing other projects in an attempt to bring the establishment up to code.

Owner Frank Garcia believes things are working in his favor.

"They're going to issue us a temporary certificate of occupancy, so that way we can keep working," Garcia said.

The restaurant owner said he still won't be able to use his smokehouse but will cook using his mobile kitchen. Metropolitan Health District spokeswoman Carol Schliesinger said at last check, the mobile kitchen did not have a license. However, she said Garcia was given a 30-day notice to do so on Wednesday.

"We could cook 60 chickens on this pit, and we can only cook 21 on the mobile kitchen," Garcia said. "It is going to affect business."

Overwhelming support took the business owner by surprise. He hopes building taller smoke stacks and redoing some electrical work will get things cooking again.

The Defenders requested a copy of the agreement between Garcia and the city. However, it was not yet available through the Bexar County District Clerk.